To refuse to buy bleach?

[Eastie77Returns]

First world problem alert.

Our cleaner has asked demanded that I add Domestos bleach to my cleaning products. There's been a bit of an ongoing issue for a while now as I have trialed various eco-friendly cleaning products over the last few months and she generally doesn't like them. I have changed a couple of times in the hope she will get on better with a new range but she has a preference for products that contain high levels of chemicals. I understand they are the go-too products that she trusts but I just don't want to use them.

At the moment she is begrudgingly using the Ecover products I most recently bought. Now she is insisting she needs bleach to clean properly because Ecover doesn't really cut it. I said no as I just can't have it in the house. The smell is one thing but it's so toxic and dangerous (I'm absolutely haunted by an acquaintance whose young child inhaled some). She is a really good cleaner and in high demand. I'm aware she's already given notice to two households on our street because they did not fall in line with her requests (not cleaning product related, something else).

Has anyone used any of the 'natural' bleach products currently out there and were they effective?

ALL 'things' comprise entirely chemicals - I'd challenge anyone to name a substance that isn't comprised of chemicals.

As a semi-eco fanatic, I'm gobsmacked that bleach is shunned by the overwhelming majority on here!
Infrequent floor cleaning and weekly use in toilet here.

Mumsnet is certainly not representative of general everyday mums on the use of bleach. Can't go down the cleaning aisle without seeing someone putting bleach in their trolley or go to someone's house and there is a bottle of bleach next to the loo.

I use it.
I always have.
It has it's uses.
MN can be quite judgmental of normal life activities, I'd say.

I think it's the other way round (according to the poll).

Currently, 74% of 732 voters feel that the OP is unreasonable to refuse to buy bleach for her cleaner. Assuming that they probably use bleach themselves, that's an awful lot of bleach being squirted into the nation's collective toilet each week, and from there into the water.

I think bleach is so much better for cleaning the toilet and plug holes than anything else out there, and it can be locked away from children. I use it weekly. I don’t see what’s wrong with it?

You're assuming those who buy bleach are squirting it down the loo all the time? Why?

Yes. And nothing else works as well.

No professional cleaner would use bleach because a) it doesn't actually clean it just disguises cleaning issues and b) a cleaner's insurance won't cover use of it because it's unnecessary and can easily be harmful to health and damaging

Having said that, even if the cleaner is not a professional cleaner and is just doing it cash in hand or whatever she is still self employed and gets to choose how to perform her job, really as a self employed contractor she should be supplying her own cleaning supplies and be fully responsible for any outcome of these

I havent read the thread OP sorry, but my cleaner did exactly the same. I said no bleach, now I have to buy bleach. I buy Aldi and Lidl cleaning products, she only wants CIF or Flash and is fussy about what they are too.

I have caved in and get her what she wants. She also seems to go through what seems to be huge amounts of this stuff. I do not know what she does with it.

On the flip side she appears to get the house clean which is something I cannot do so I cant question it really.

@Morgenrot25So what? I’m not a chemist. I’m saying that there seems to be plenty of evidence that bleach is dangerous. I wouldn’t use it and I wish for other people’s health that they wouldn’t. And oxygen or washing up liquid are therefore composed of chemicals, but they are not harmful to your lungs.

You don't have to be a chemist to know that everything is made of chemicals.
Dosage is also important - oxygen can actually be harmful to the lungs (oxygen toxicity) and nobody would consume or inhale washing up liquid, just as the same as they wouldn't consume or inhale bleach! Bleach has it's uses, stop demonising it.

Without meaning to sound judgemental, she isn't actually taking some home with her in little bottles is she?

Maybe for disinfecting things?

Without meaning to sound judgemental, she isn't actually taking some home with her in little bottles is she?

Cleaner decanting Flash into little bottles and snaffling it? Do me a favour! @Morgenrot25

I never buy bleach but live in a very hard water area. The only effective way to clean the toilets I've found is to periodically use a Bloo tab overnight, and literally use Fine sandpaper on the limescale in the toilet and sink. It's surprisingly quick and effective and eco friendly. Can't use it on the chrome obviously but it's fine on the ceramic.

@Morgenrot25why should’nt i? I dont have any stake in bleach producing industries. Hopefully you dont?

No, I don't produce bleach or have a stake in any company that does.
I am sick of misinformed folk though.

It would be one explanation as to why someone would be using so much of it.
Cleaning agents mostly need to be used sparingly, and if someone is going through loads they're either wasting it or stealing it.

Does her insurance cover her for bleach?

Only time I use bleach is for toilets. Not found anything else good enough for inside the loo.

Oh dear, of course she isnt!!! What a bizarre thing to jump to

Its simple useage or overusage. But then Im not a cleaner, the fact that when she cleans she gets the place sparkling (and Im not just talking about bleach use) and when I clean I dont, its still sort of smeary, sort of limescaly, sort of stained, sort of meh, I suppose indicates to me that she knows what she is doing.

Talk among my colleagues who also have cleaners, they're amazed about how much product is used as well, so Im not alone.

It's not bizarre to suggest why she seems to be going through so much.

Yes mine uses half a bottle of bathroom cleaner per clean!

I currently work for a very well known supermarket and they don’t allow the use of bleach in any warehouses or stores.

The cleaners weren’t happy and used to sneak it on the night shift when most managers had finished their shift.

it is toxic and very bad for the environment.